Make a doll cake for your little valentine and watch her eyes light up when she sees it.  

It looks hard, but the decorating tips actually do the work.  However, it does take some time because there are several steps involved and you will need to visit a specialty store like the Cake Carousel in Richardson or a local craft store that carries Wilton decorating supplies— but the finished product is worth it.  Once you have mastered the cake you can make it for birthdays, bridal showers and many other parties using any color theme and style that you want.  

I have made cowgirl birthday cakes, a farmer’s daughter and a bride to name a few.  I once made a “Hanna Montana” birthday cake for my granddaughter using a Hanna Montana doll when the show was popular on the Disney channel. 

You will need: 

Two (2) cake mixes and ingredients as listed on the directions on the box 

Cake board* or cake plate 

Doll skirt pan and doll * 

Disposable Decorating Bags and three couplings * 

Four Tips (medium open star, closed star, rose tip and leaf)* 

3 lb container of Decorator frosting * 

Pre-made flowers * (choose from a selection of drop flowers or rose buds) 

Three pre-made bows* or make your own using the rose petal tip 

Gel food colors of your choice* 

Thin ribbon and florist wire for pony tail 

*These items can be purchased at stores that carry Wilton cake decorating supplies. Choose a doll that most resembles your “guest of honor” to make the cake very personal.  They come with different hair colors.  I saw a doll cake on display in a bakery that was African American and she was exquisite. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare pan according to package directions (I usually use Baker’s Joy or a non-stick baking spray with flour) and prepare cake mixes according to package directions.  Remember you are using two mixes and need to double the ingredients.  Fill cake pan about two thirds to three fours full using only about ¾ of the batter.  Bake as directed allowing extra time for the cake being a larger one than normal.  I baked mine for about 50 minutes. You may have to estimate using the touch and toothpick tests to determine doneness.  

Allow cake to cool according to cake mix directions and turn onto cake board or plate. See Photo 1. 

When totally cooled, frost with a thin layer of frosting.  Thin the decorators frosting so that it is more like a glaze.  After covering the cake with the thinned frosting, let it dry completely for about two hours.  Although you can forego this step, it gives a smooth surface for decorating.  See photo 2. 

(This is a good time to mark a guideline with a knife or toothpick to determine the ruffle for the petticoat.  See photo 2 and 3. 

Take a decorating bag and insert the inside of the coupling.  Snip the end of the bag to create an opening for the frosting.  Fit with the rose tip and secure with the outer part of the coupling. 

Fill the bag one half to two thirds full with white icing.  I use a table knife to put the frosting into the bag, then lay the bag on its side on the counter and using the heel of my hand, push the frosting to the end of the bag.  Fold and roll the top of bag or twist it to close.  I prefer folding and rolling down to twisting.   Re-fill the bag as needed. 

Starting at the bottom of the cake somewhere in the back side begin making a ruffle by placing the smaller opening side of the tip against the cake and moving in a slight up and down motion as you progress in a straight line around the cake.  After two ruffles around the entire cake, begin making ruffles only in the section marked for the ruffle.

Keeping your line as even as possible will produce a prettier finished product.See photo 3. 

Repeat the step of pushing the frosting to the tip end of the bag as necessary. This avoids air pockets in the frosting and keeps the frosting flowing through the bag. 

Remove one half to two thirds cup of frosting from the container and put in small disposable plastic container.  Set aside. 

Tint remaining decorator’s frosting the color you want for overskirt and bodice.  Make sure the color is mixed well so you don’t have streaking. 

Prepare a new bag as before this time using the closed star tip.  Fill with tinted frosting. 

Beginning at the top of the petticoat and using a slight ziz-zag motion go down the side of petticoat and around cake at edge of ruffle.  See photo 4 

When the skirt is completely covered, remove the tip and exchange it for the open star tip.  This is when your coupling comes in handy.  You don’t have to fill another bag since you are using the same color. 

 Insert the doll in top of cake.  If you want to “style” her hair, do it now.  If you are putting it in a pony tail as I did in demo cake, secure it with florist wire. 

By covering the doll’s upper body with little star dots, you can create the neckline and sleeve that you want. Place the tip against the doll, gently squeeze and remove.  Repeat until the bodice is covered.   I leave the arms up high until I have finished the chest and waist and then position the arms the way I want them before decorating the shoulders of the doll. 

Almost finished, now you can add the trim. 

Color the white frosting that you sat aside with green food coloring. Prepare a third bag as before and use the leaf tip. Fill bag with green frosting.  

Make leafs on petticoat front and add a flower to each set of leaves.  To make a leaf, squeeze a small amount of frosting and quickly pull tip away with a very slight twist to form the tip of the leaf.  Practice a few times on wax paper.  Remember, the tip does the work. After you have made a leaf on the petticoat, place a flower on the leaf. 

When you have finished the flowers down the petticoat, add the bows to the back waist and at the shoulder.  Tie the ribbon around the ponytail. See photo 5 

Take a picture. And be sure to have your camera on-hand and ready when your little valentine sees her doll cake.